Earthquake-operated safety automatic circuit breaker



Nov. 26, 1929. .1. L. BLALACK EARTHQUAKE OPERATED SAFETY AUTOMATIC CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed March 28, 1927 I I I I N V EN TOR. Jacofi Z. B/Q/fik Patented Nov. 26, 1929 PATENT OFFICE JACOB L. BLALACK, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA EARTHQUAKE-OPERATED SAFETY AUTOMATIC CIRCUIT BREAKER Application filed March 28, 1927. Serial No. 178,897.

This invention relates to circuit breakers. The general object of this invention is to provide an improved circuit breaker which will be actuated to break an electric circuit by earthquake tremors. f

, Another object of the invention is to provide an improved circuit breaker wherein means is provided for breaking the electric circuit either by earthquake tremors or by 19 excessive heat.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel circuit breaker which will be ac- Euated by excessive heat from an accidental Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved circuit breaker showing it attached to a wall or support.

Fig. 2 is a front face view of the device.

Fig. 3 is a front face View of the device with the cover removed showing the various contact elements.

Fig. 4 is a section taken approximately on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 55 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the device actuated to break the electric circuit by excessive heat.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters I have indicated my improved circuit breaker generally at 10. The device 10 may be attached to any suitable support such as a rafter, column, beam, or wall 11 as shown in Fig. 1.

The device 10 as shown in the drawing comprises a base 12 having integral therewith and projecting therefrom a cylindrical housing 13. The base 12 and the housing 13 are preferably made of an insulated material such as porcelain or any other suitable substance. Within the housing 13 are mounted a stationary metallic arm 14 and a pivoted metallic arm 15. The stationary arm 14 is shown as supported-in the housing 13 by securing it thereto by a bolt 16 and a nut 17. The bolt 16 and nut 17 also serve as a terminal to which may be secured by a nut 18 an electric wire 19.

For supporting the arm 15 I provide a metal bracket 20 having a pair of spaced ears 21 thereon between which is mounted for pivotal l5 movement by a screw 22, thearm 15. The bracket 20 is shown as secured to the housing 13 by a bolt 23 and a nut .24. The bolt 23 and nut 24 also serve as a terminal to which may be secured by a nut 25 an electric wire 26.

For retaining the arm 15 in a horizontal position I provide thereon an upstanding lip 27 which enga es a rod 28. The rod 28 is preferably ma e of a material fusible at a low heat and is supported in a bracket 29 which is secured to the housing by a screw 30. As shown in the drawing the screw 30 engages a nut 31 which is cemented in a recess 32 of a boss 33, the cement covering the nut and the end of the screw so that there is no I electric conductive portion of the bracket 29 exposed externally of the housing 13, whereby a short circuit might be accidently made and fuse the rod 28. i

The free ends of the arms 14 and 15 are bent at 34 and 35 to form two halves of a circular seat for supporting a metallic conducting sphere 36. The bends of the portions 34 and 35 are preferably all on a radius thus eliminating the arcing of the electrical current from one arm to the other when the ball 36 has fallen, when the device is used on a circuit for which it was intended.

The housing 13 is shown as provided with a cover 37 which may be detachably secured' to the housing as by screw threads 38 or in any other suitable manner. The cover 37 is preferably provided with a plurality of apertures 39 whereby in case of a fire in the vicinity of the device, the excessive heat will fuse the pin or rod 28 letting the arm 15 drop.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, my device 10 is interposed in the positive wire of a two wire system, but one of my devices 10 may also be interposed in the nega 95 tive wire if so desired, and also one of my devices may be interposed in each wire of a three wire system if desired.

The device 10 is preferably interposed in the main feed wires of a building either just 100 icausingca Ifire.

before entering the building or just after entering. Normally the electric circuit will pass from the wire 26 through the bracket and arm 15 to the sphere 36, from whence it passes through the arm 14 into the wire 19, thus forming a closed circuit from the wire 26 tothe wire. 19.

Theheavy'tremors of azseriou-s earthquake will rock the sphere 36, unseating it from the portions 34 and 35 whereupon the arms 14 and 15 will be unbridged and therebv'cause an open circuit betweenlthe wires l9tand 26 through which no electric current will flow, thus eliminating the danger of thetelectrical system in the building becoming shorted and When the rod 28 is fused as previously stated, by fire in the :vicinity of the :device, :the weight *ofthe "arm 15' and thevsphere 36 will causefthearmilii to swing: about the'pivot screw 22 and assume a substantially \vertical positionia's shownvin Fig. 6, :thus :causing an open c1rcuitFbetWeen the wires :19 and'26 through wlii'ch no electriciourrent will Zflow.

From the "foregoing: description :it "will abe apparent that I fha've :provideda :novel *form or electric :circuit =breaker which 'will be causedtto actuate t'oiformzsan-xopen :circuitby either heavy earthquakeitremors "or? by :exces sive'heat' and onewhi'chzis simplerin-tconstructi'on and positive in operation.

What I claim'is'; V

1. Ina :circuit breaker, a pair iof spaced electrical conductive elements, at movable conductive element connecting .said spaced relements and forming "a "closed =-circuit :between said spaced elements, a seat :for ssaid nrovable element, said movable element being readily displaced by earthquake tremors "to cause an opencircuitibetweensaid 'pair of element-s.

'2. In combination With:a ;pair of spaced electrical conductive elements, a third electrical conductive element, isaid 'third element adapted to normally form: a 'closed circuitr between said spaced elements and means ito mount said third element for movement :out of engagement with saidspaced elements by earthquake tremors to "cause an open circuit to be formedbetween said space'd elements.

3. A circuit breakercomprising a housing, a pair of spacedcondu'ctor'armsin said housing, movable means for forming a'cont'act'between said spaced'arms, one jot-said arms-being pivotally mounted, 'me'ans'toretain said pivoted arm in an operative position, *said means being "fusible and a daptedupon' fusion to release said arm for movement whereupon said contact means willmoveout of engagement with said arms, said contact meansbeing mounted for movement out of engagement with said spaced arms by earthquake 1 tremors.

4. Ina circuit breaker aihousing, a cover for said housin said cover being perforated, a pair of space arms in said housing, means to make electrical contact with said arms, each of said arms having their adjacent arms bent to form a portion of a seat, a sphere adapted to be positioned in said seat to form .contactbetween. said spacedrarmgone of said :spaced armslbeing pivotally mounted, a lip rble rod beingadapted .to be'fusedby a low degree :of heat th'ereby (releasing said lip whereupon .-said ;pivoted arm will move and cause saidt-s phere-tolmove and breakcontact between sa1d spaced arms,

in itestimony whereof, I hereunto affix my JACOB L. BLALAOK.

signature. 

